YOUTH SOCCER

FC Westchester and Everton America Connecticut have announced their youth soccer programs have partnered to create Everton FC Westchester, an organization designed to bolster both clubs’ programs.

The organization also provide a unique youth soccer development structure via a separate partnership arrangement with Everton FC of the Barclays Premier League (England).

FC Westchester (www.FCwestchester.org) is one of 80 U.S. Soccer Development Academy programs. The partnership will expand the pool of boys’ players available to be selected for FC Westchester's Under-14, U-16 and U-18 Development Academy teams. It will also allow Everton FC Westchester to make its U-16 and U-18 Development Academy programs tuition free.

Moreover, the partnership will allow the club's Development Academy program to benefit from additional coach and player development resources within Everton FC and give top players the opportunity of further developing at the Everton FC Finch Farm Academy in England, one of the country’s top ranked facilities. That facility is responsible for producing more players who have made their first team debut as teenagers than any other in England.

For Everton America Connecticut (www.evertonamericact.com) the partnership will give its boys’ players a direct path into a Development Academy program, the top level of youth soccer in the country. It also will allow Everton FC to extend its coaching and player development resources into a U.S. Academy club, and the partnership will also enhance Everton America's college soccer placement efforts. It will also extend the Everton FC brand in the New York area.

"This is a unique partnership that will greatly enhance and strengthen the efforts of both clubs," according to a statement released by Everton America CT general manager Nick Dunbar and FC Westchester president Lonny Unger. "Not only will this partnership be very beneficial to our current players, it will also allow both clubs to increase our respective talent pools over the next 12 months."

David McCollum, FC Westchester director of coaching, said: "This partnership will be invaluable to the development of coaches and soccer players in the New York and Connecticut area.”

McCollum noted that as part of this partnership Everton FC will send its experts to the U.S. to spend time working with players and coaches of both clubs.

McCollum and John Curtis, Everton America Connecticut technical director, said that coaches from the clubs in Westchester and Connecticut will also be involved in specific Everton FC coaching clinics and development, and have the opportunity of spending time at the Finch Farm Academy to get a further insight into how Everton FC develops young players. McCollum spent several days at the end of January at the Finch Farm Academy to begin an orientation on just what it takes to play at the top level.